"Call me Master!" Liu Zhijian furrowed his brows and corrected her seriously, though he felt a touch of warmth in his heart.
Others only cared about their own cultivation; only this rebellious disciple cared about whether he had fish to catch.
Jiang Xiaoyu was unwilling to lower her generation beneath Liu Zhijian's for no good reason. Her eyes darted about, and she stammered for a long while without being willing to call him Master.
Liu Zhijian simply ignored her, getting up and walking down the mountain.
Just now, his master had sent him a message ordering him to report to the General Affairs Hall immediately after leaving seclusion.
Jiang Xiaoyu skipped along behind him, asking, "You can't fish here... When are we going back to Mount Yandang?"
Liu Zhijian stopped in his tracks, looked back at Jiang Xiaoyu, and asked in a gentle voice, "What's wrong? You want to go back?"
"Don't you want to go back to fish?!" Jiang Xiaoyu asked as if it were obvious, then added in a low voice, "Senior Sister Hua is always making me read Daoist scriptures. I don't like it."
Hua Chunning stood not far away with an embarrassed look, hesitating to speak.
"If you don't want to read them, that's fine too." Liu Zhijian didn't bother correcting her address, merely advising, "It's just that the next time I go down the mountain, I won't be able to bring you along."
Jiang Xiaoyu's eyes instantly widened, and she shook her head repeatedly. "How can that be?!"
Watching this, Hua Chunning sighed secretly. To be able to read Daoist scriptures in the Scripture Library of Mount Taixuan was an opportunity that countless people could only dream of. After a moment's thought, she said softly, "It's quiet and lonely on the mountain, and Xiaoyu doesn't even have a playmate. She feels quite solitary, which is why she resists studying so much."
"The Hua family at the foot of the mountain has a clan school specifically for enlightening the younger generation."
"How about sending Little Xiaoyu to the Hua family's clan school at the foot of the mountain during the day, and bringing her back up at night? What does Senior Brother think?!"
Liu Zhijian listened and nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Junior Sister."
Saying that, he glanced at Jiang Xiaoyu. "Why aren't you thanking your Martial Aunt Hua?!"
Jiang Xiaoyu ran over to Hua Chunning, taking her hand and smiling coaxingly. "Little Xiaoyu thanks Senior Sister!"
Hua Chunning broke into a smile and patted Little Xiaoyu's head.
...
General Affairs Hall.
Li Chengxuan was entertaining guests.
In the hall, besides his old acquaintance Xue Yang, there were also a middle-aged cultivator in green robes and a crane-haired old man.
Liu Zhijian stepped inside and bowed to Li Chengxuan. "Your disciple greets Master."
"Mm." Li Chengxuan nodded slightly. "Sit."
Liu Zhijian dutifully kept his place as a junior and did not sit down, instead standing at the lower end of the hall.
Xue Yang, deacon of the Immortal Alliance, sized him up and marvelled, "It has been so short a time since we last met, yet he has already ingested qi to enter the Dao and accomplished spell practice. Sect Master Li's guidance is truly effective; Mount Taixuan has no shortage of successors!"
Liu Zhijian had met Xue Yang once while gathering qi at the foot of Mount Yandang, so he said in a low voice, "Senior Xue flatters me, this junior is truly unworthy."
Xue Yang smiled slightly, saying no more on that, and turned to speak, "Come, let me introduce you."
He pointed to the middle-aged cultivator in green robes opposite him. "This is Elder Qiao Yunbai of the Qingyun Sect."
Liu Zhijian also knew the origins of the Qingyun Sect. Though secretly surprised, he showed not the slightest trace of it on his face. "Junior Liu Zhijian greets Senior Qiao."
Qiao Yunbai was in charge of discipline in the Qingyun Sect and had a rather stern personality, so he merely squeezed out a faint smile and nodded in greeting.
Xue Yang then introduced the crane-haired old man beside him, his voice becoming much more casual, clearly very familiar and close with him: "This is the ancestor of the Dong family of Mount Xiaolong, Dong Linyuan, who is also a deacon of the Immortal Alliance."
Liu Zhijian had never heard of Mount Xiaolong, but he knew the weight of an Immortal Alliance deacon. "Junior greets Senior Dong."
Dong Linyuan possessed a gentle temperament, saying with a chuckle, "Mount Xiaolong also has some 【Kan Water】 heritage. If you have time in the future, feel free to visit and exchange insights."
Liu Zhijian naturally nodded and agreed.
After exchanging pleasantries, Xue Yang stowed his smile and turned back to ask, "Where were we just now?!"
Li Chengxuan's expression was serene as he replied, "We were speaking of Fellow Daoist Dong's ancestral deeds."
"Mm." Xue Yang said with a sigh of emotion, speaking softly, "Fellow Daoist Dong's ancestors were descendants of the Human Emperor, enfeoffed at Zhi River for their contributions and titled the 'Huanlong Clan'. They are also an ancient lineage in Nanya Province."
"Upon Mount Taixuan, before the seat of Qixia, how could we dare claim to be ancient?" Dong Linyuan let out a bitter smile, shaking his head repeatedly. "We descendants are incompetent, and our inheritance is incomplete. Today, we can only raise a few spirit fish to earn a living; we truly have no face to call ourselves descendants of the Huanlong Clan."
Liu Zhijian was quite surprised to hear this.
The Huanlong Clan was a prominent clan in ancient times.
He hadn't expected their bloodline to still be preserved in Nanya Province.
"The Old Method has declined, and the dragon kind is powerful—this is not something human effort can reverse." Xue Yang's expression remained unchanged as he offered a few words of comfort, then continued, "Fellow Daoist Dong need not belittle yourself."
"This planning still relies on Fellow Daoist Dong's leadership."
"Once success is achieved, our Qixia Mountain will surely reward you handsomely."
"Fellow Daoist Xue need not be polite." Hearing this, Dong Linyuan did not ask for benefits, merely stating, "That the Dong family of Mount Xiaolong has endured to this day is entirely thanks to the protection of Senior Xue of Qixia Mountain. Dong will certainly go all out this time."
Liu Zhijian found this baffling as he listened.
However, seeing that his master and Qiao Yunbai of the Qingyun Sect both remained calm, they clearly knew the details beforehand.
Most likely, the four factions were joining forces to plan something big.
As for why he was summoned here to listen, he was likely about to execute his first sect task!
Liu Zhijian's thoughts raced, feeling a subtle hint of anticipation.
Dong Linyuan's expression turned slightly solemn as he said in a deep voice, "The so-called dragon rearing first requires 【Strengthening Its Blood】."
"Blood is the foundation of life-destiny."
"The dragon kind in the sea is tyrannical and cannot be provoked."
"In Nanya Province, the true dragon bloodline has long been severed; there are only hybrid half-breeds like flood dragons and snakes."
"Among them, flood dragons are the most prized, known as little dragons."
"Back then, the 【Foundation Establishment】 demon beast Fubo was a grey flood dragon of extraordinary bloodline."
"Fubo's flood dragon blood is already the best choice at present, sufficient to strengthen his blood qi and stabilize his fate density."
"Once he triggers the demon-transformation secret technique, he can even borrow some of the remaining fate density of that 【Foundation Establishment】 demon beast."
"This way, although it still cannot compare to true dragon blood, it should still have sixty to seventy percent of the effect."
Liu Zhijian had been thoroughly confused at first.
When Dong Linyuan mentioned the essence blood of the 【Foundation Establishment】 demon beast Fubo, he shuddered, an ominous feeling swelling in his heart.
However, it was not the right time to speak up and ask.
Xue Yang nodded slightly upon hearing this. "I naturally rest easy with Fellow Daoist Dong's planning."
"What comes next is the key, and it is even harder." Dong Linyuan furrowed his brows and said slowly, "The second step is 【Broadening Its Momentum】."
"We must make him victorious in every battle and achieve whatever he desires, step by step broadening his power and authority while increasing his grand aura."
"During this process, he must never suffer setbacks, lest his grand aura be diminished."
"Only when he fulfills his desire, founds a kingdom and stabilizes the realm, and cultivates an unstoppable, world-sweeping grand aura will the task be considered accomplished."
Hearing up to this point, how could Liu Zhijian not understand that they were truly talking about Deng Gang? A chill rose in his heart, and he could not help looking up at Li Chengxuan.
Li Chengxuan's expression remained unchanged, and he shook his head slightly.
Xue Yang paid no heed to the subtle interaction between Li Chengxuan and Liu Zhijian, instead turning his gaze toward Qiao Yunbai.
Qiao Yunbai of the Qingyun Sect had a solemn face as he spoke, "This matter is being handled by my Qingyun Sect. Calculating the days, they should have already fought their way into the capital of the Huang Kingdom, leaving only the finishing touches."
"Once he establishes the kingdom and ascends the throne, my Qingyun Sect will bow its head and declare vassalage to complete his grand aura."
"However, our Qingyun Sect has suffered immense losses this time. After the matter is done, I hope Fellow Daoist Xue does not forget his previous promise."
In funding Deng Gang—who possessed no backing—to seize the Huang Kingdom, the Qingyun Sect had truly bled themselves dry.
Just persuading the cultivators supported by the Huang Kingdom's imperial family to leave or defect took no small amount of spirit stones and medicinal pills.
In comparison, bowing one's head and declaring vassalage to the ruler of a nation was actually quite normal and not worth mentioning for the Qingyun Sect, which originated from the Central Continent.
When it came down to it, New Method cultivators like Qiao Yunbai only ever believed in the quality of spiritual roots and the height of cultivation realms.
They did not care about the grand aura and fate density emphasized by the Old Method.
Xue Yang nodded upon hearing this and smiled with confidence. "The high reputation of my Qixia Mountain is known to all in Nanya Province. Fellow Daoist Qiao may rest easy."
Only after the two finished discussing did Dong Linyuan continue, "The final step is the hardest: 【Supplementing Its Destiny】."
"The concept of fate density is profoundly mystical, not something we Qi Refining cultivators can fathom."
"Dong has thought it over back and forth and flipped through many ancient texts, only coming up with the method of emulating past events."
"Back then, the 【Foundation Establishment】 demon beast Fubo traveled up the White Dragon River to invade Mount Taixuan, its ferocious name echoing far and wide, terrifying Nanya."
"In the end, however, it was slain by a sword immortal."
"This time, why not have him emulate Fubo's past deeds to complete his fate density?!"
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